The Red Line
by spinzgirl
Summary: Throughout life memories are made and lost. The ones that stay with us are the most important. This was written as a series of prompts for Kallura Month 2017. *Since I can't link the videos for the songs, if you'd like to follow with those please find this story on AO3 or Tumblr*
1. Chapter 1

**Day 1:**

Allura cursed to herself as she stumbled into the train. Her high heels were killing her feet and she'd only had to walk from her apartment to the T stop so far. Boston was a small city, much smaller than London she imagined, but with no limo and no driver she was strictly a pedestrian commuter.

She studied the Green Line map on the wall of the car to see how many stops before she'd have to switch subway lines. It was difficult to concentrate with all the noises and smells surrounding her, not to mention the trouble she was having standing up. Every stop left her grabbing tighter onto the silver handrails as the momentum tried to throw her forward.

It took three stops before she realized she'd gotten on the outbound train by mistake.

"Maybe I should have done a dry run like Pidge suggested," she murmured angrily to herself as she clamored from the train.

Once clear she crossed the tracks to wait for the next inbound. Thankfully she'd given herself plenty of extra time this morning, although she had intended to use it to stop for coffee and a pastry. At the very least she needed a coffee and in this city, there were no shortages of shops thank the ancients.

Twenty minutes later she was at the station and moving along with a wave of bodies down to the Red Line. As she stepped off the escalator her heel caught in the grate, sending her stumbling down under the rush of commuters. Luckily, she didn't hit the ground too hard but the constant shove of zombie-like humans prevented her from standing up. On the plus side, no one was taking pictures that might end up in a sleazy tabloid.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Looking up she spotted a man in a red jacket, baseball cap pulled low over his face. His hand was extended toward her, either to help her up or to steal her purse. Stuff like that happened on subways all the time, and this guy looked a bit shady. Yet she was moved to take his hand despite her misgivings.

It was warmer than the expected, the leather of his fingerless gloves considerably softer than his calloused fingers. He was probably a day laborer, which meant he was likely unaware of her unearned Paris Hilton-esque reputation back home in London. Being the daughter of a wealthy weapons manufacturer drew a lot of unfair scrutiny, which is why she chose to pursue her graduate degree in the States.

"Yes, thank you," she replied after pulling herself to a stand.

That's when she noticed the guitar case at his feet.

"Oh, you're a musician?" she queried as she brushed herself off. That explains the fingers, then.

"Um, yeah, you could say that," he responded awkwardly.

"Well, thanks again…um," she paused, waiting for him to introduce himself.

Then she noticed his eyes, the most beautiful shade of blue, darker and steelier than her own. Almost inhuman, she mused. His glance flickered in her direction; their eyes locked and they were awash in a struggle between stormy seas and calm ocean. Neither seemed to want to look away, until an angry voice from the crowd reminded them they were standing in the middle of the walkway.

The young man broke contact first, reaching down to pick up his instrument.

"Name's Keith," he muttered.

"Ah, Keith. Thanks for your help, I'd better be on my way," she replied before stopping herself from leaving. "Sorry, my name's Allura, nice to meet you."

"Same," was his only response, his body shifting nervously under her gaze.

She knew that response. Anyone meeting a celebrity for the first time had it. Not that she technically was one, but she'd somehow achieved that status based on the amount of money in her checking account. Better to just walk away before anyone else catches on, she thought.

"Well, I suppose this is goodbye then," she responded, trying to disguise her disappointment that he didn't answer.

On the platform, the crowd had spread out end to end, likely to eliminate a logjam of riders getting on through the same doors. She also noticed that, despite the expensive suits and dresses many of the professional workers were wearing, many had on sneakers and carried their dress shoes in a bag. Too bad Pidge couldn't have given her that kind of advice. What else did her roommate forget to tell her?

All her years growing up she was never allowed to ride public transportation for security reasons. Now Allura felt a bit lost, hoping she'd soon become more adept at this. Today, however, she was a lost little girl. She hugged her bag closer to her chest, feeling a little like crying and a lot like screaming.

Everything was forgotten as she heard the strum of someone tuning a guitar. Was it Keith? Maybe he was a street musician like she saw in the movies. She shifted a few steps backward to spot him sitting on the bench nearest the exit. Soon a melody wafted through the air, his fingers plucking the strings of her heart like a virtuoso.

Soon a crowd was circling Keith. Instead of offering money, however, they were pulling cellphones out of their pockets and purses. Everyone was recording it, some young girls giggling excitedly.

"Never seen folks get so excited about a singing street rat before," an older man next to her complained.

She rolled her eyes behind the man's back. Curious, she turned to move closer to Keith, hoping to see him through the throng of people. Finally, a train pulled into the station which cleared out half the group. With her now less obstructed view she watched as his eyes scanned the audience, only stopping once he'd spotted her. Yet again she was under his spell, unable to look anywhere but his gaze.

Just then another wave of commuters cut between them, and she was reminded that she had someplace to be. With any luck, he was a regular on this route so maybe she would see him again.

With any luck, he'd be looking for her, too.

 **Day 6:**

Monday came around too quickly, yet not quickly enough. Working at the British Consulate was exhausting, what with the talk of a potential war. Many citizens from the U.K. were anxiously checking to see if their visas were still good and if there was a contingency plan should an attack happen on American soil.

On the plus side though she might see Keith again, even if just for a moment.

For the rest of the previous week she had scanned the crowd in search of her hero. To her disappointment he didn't seem to be a regular rider. She would keep looking anyway, certain that it wasn't a fluke they met the first time around. It felt as though her head was on a swivel, checking every angle for his red jacket or his ebony hair. As she stood on the damp concrete of the Red Line station a familiar song broke her thoughts.

That voice. It had to be Keith, and it felt like he was calling out to her.

Once again, she joined the crowd that encircled him, cursing that her sneakers didn't give her as much height as her heels. Luckily the horde soon thinned as the next train pulled to a stop.

She pushed through the remaining group of gawkers once the song ended, extending her hand to the handsome musician.

"I don't need money, thanks," he said, waving her off as he put his instrument away.

"Then how about lunch," she offered, causing him to look up. "It's my card, call me when you're free."

He hesitantly reached for the business card, running his thumb absently over the raised print of her name.

"I'm really okay, you know," he repeated.

"And I wouldn't have been had it not been for your help," she argued, hoping he'd at least agree to one measly meal together.

"It was nothing, really," he began, "but lunch with you would be nice. I'll call when I can, but I have to take off for now." He stood and offered her a small bow.

Grabbing his guitar case, he ducked his head down before threading his way onto the stairwell. As she watched him walk into the rush of travelers she waved sadly to the back of his head.

"Goodbye, just for now I hope."


	2. Chapter 2

**Day 21:**

Allura checked her cellphone for what felt like the millionth time. Then she once again called herself from her desk phone to make sure the number on her card was correct.

"Yep, that's it alright," she frowned.

By now he should have called her, right? Maybe they do things differently here in the U.S., maybe girls giving boys their number is considered taboo. He could have lost the card. He could think she's unattractive. He could be gay for all she knows.

"Oh, quiznak, maybe he found out about those horrible rumors!"

Panic started to creep in until a text from Pidge gave her a much-needed distraction.

 _Going to see the winner of Star Search noon tomorrow at MIT, wanna come with?_

The university was a short distance from her workplace, and she did get an hour lunch. Plus, she needed to get out more, what with all the extra hours she'd been putting in at the consulate. Impulsively she texted back.

 _Sounds great, meet me here and we'll walk together._

 **Day 22:**

Allura's shoulder was killing her, the heavy bag full of casual clothes plus business shoes weighing her right side down considerably. She was hoping to have time to change before heading to the concert later that day and brought something that wouldn't make her stand out in a college setting.

The doors of her train car swished open and she pushed her way in as quickly as possible. Turning to look out the window she saw him. Keith was running to make it before the warning announcement. Leaping through the doors on the other end of the car he barely escaped his foot getting caught.

She watched curiously as he leaned on the pole, frantically trying to catch his breath. He apologized to the woman standing near him as his guitar case bumped into her once the vehicle started moving. His face was sweaty but in a very attractive way. Other women seemed to notice it, too, which bothered Allura for some reason.

Too quickly they reached their stop; she kept her eye on him as they disembarked. Once they'd made their way to the street she had managed to work up her nerves enough to approach him.

"Keith," she called, waving her hand to get his attention.

He saw her and waved back, weaving in and out of human obstacles to get to her.

"Hey Allura," he answered as soon as he reached her. "Sorry I haven't called, I've been out of town."

Either he was an excellent liar or completely telling the truth. She opted to not grill him any further.

"So, now that you're back—"

"Right, about that," he cut her off, nervously running his fingers through the long hair on the back of his neck.

Oh, he's trying to be nice. At least he'll let her down easily. She bit her bottom lip, waiting for the axe to fall.

"I'm going to be at MIT today, maybe we can meet up there?"

Well that was unexpected. And terribly lucky.

"Yes, I'm actually going with a friend of mine. She said someone was singing, do you know them?"

His mouth opened to speak but instead just emitted a strained guttural noise. "I guess you could say that," he finally eked out.

"I guess we'll see you there," she smiled. This day was getting better after all.

Soon it was half-an-hour until noon. Allura changed in the bathroom, attempting to smooth away the stray hairs in her bun before deciding to simply unpin it and let the loose tendrils fall to her waist. Jean shorts and a pink lace tank top completed her ensemble. Fifteen minutes later she was walking towards the school with Pidge, whose unkempt hair and baggy clothes made her look even more the part of a student.

They reached the campus just before noon, looking around to get a bearing on where they should go. Soon the booming voice of an announcer directed them toward a large courtyard.

The number of people was overwhelming, and it was standing room only. Allura couldn't help but think it probably wasn't worth using her extra time to be here. She gave up a chance for a Friday off, instead opting to take the rest of today. It made sense when she requested it, since chances were the show would last more than an hour.

As the emcee was winding up the introductions she had to cover her ears to dampen the shrill screeches of the girls standing near her. Pidge seemed less phased for some reason, her attention drawn to the sound mixer on the edge of the stage.

The guy was cute, she'd give her that. Tall and lanky with a lady-killer grin. Not at all Pidge's type, she thought. Granted up until this point she was half certain her friend didn't have a type at all.

Eventually the din of the crowd started to diminish, the sound of music taking over. Allura froze as soon as she heard the familiar vocals.

No. Freaking. Way.

Quickly she grabbed her smartphone and clicked on the Google search bar.

 _Star Search winner 2017_

The results brought up photos of a very familiar face, one that had graced her dreams the last three weeks. Pidge noticed her shaking hand and looked over at the screen. Then she looked up at Allura, her mouth dropping open at the realization.

She mouthed, "Is that the guy from the T?"

It was the most Allura could do to nod "yes" and not pass out. She looked to the stage, noticing that Keith had spotted her in the audience. Not breaking from his song, he simply smiled and winked in her direction, sending a gaggle of young women near her into a frenzied state.

After the first song ended he issued a hand gesture to the guy on the board, who offered a thumbs-up in return. Keith walked over to grab a tall stool from the corner of the platform, setting it in front of the microphone he was now adjusting to his new height.

Notes began to fly at the movement of his fingers, his eyes glancing directly at her as he crooned the words.

By the end of his set she had lost all feeling in her body.

The tune he ended with renewed her hope that she'd see him face to face once again. As he exited the stage to an adjacent building, ushers swept the remaining onlookers back into the streets. Seemingly out of nowhere, a large man approached her and her friend. The two women were a bit nervous until he broke into a huge smile.

"Are you Allura? I'm Hunk, Keith's bodyguard. He asked me to come find you."

He motioned for the two ladies to follow him and they found themselves in an empty locker room near the gym. Soon Keith and his technician emerged from the shower facility with dripping wet hair and wearing only towels around their waists.

Pidge and Allura gasped in shock but were slow to turn away.

"Hunk! You were supposed to bring them to the classroom next to the locker room," the other guy shouted.

"Sorry Lance, my bad!"

Well, now she knew the other guy was Lance. And that both he and Keith could easily be models.

She stepped into the hall with Pidge, leaning over to whisper, "glad I took the day off after all. With any luck, I'll be calling out sick tomorrow, too."

Both girls giggled at her insinuation as they waited for the boys to join them. Once the latter arrived with Hunk they finished introducing themselves. Lance started to toss a pickup line at Allura but was stopped short by Keith's glare. Instead he bent over to speak to her red-headed friend.

"You know I totally have a thing for gingers," he cooed, shooting finger guns in her direction.

Apparently, Pidge was somewhat put out by his initial dismissal of her. She curtly responded with a "you don't say" before walking away.

"So, how about we all grab some lunch," Allura suggested, realizing just how hungry she was getting. A small deli down the street was perfect for conversation so they decided to go there.

Talking while eating, they each shared their histories with one another. Lance claimed to recall hearing about Allura before but admitted he paid closer attention to the local scene. Keith seemed most surprised at her reputation, scoffing when she recounted some of the things the tabloids had said about her.

"What about you, Keith? What did you do before all this?"

The table grew quiet with Lance and Hunk paying newfound interest in their half-empty plates.

"I was in the Air Force," Keith began, pausing for a deep breath. "I received a dishonorable discharge for insisting they find my flight partner…and then taking off to do it myself when they wouldn't."

Allura felt a surge of concern as she reached across the table to grasp his hand.

"I'm so sorry," she began, not knowing what to say next.

"It's okay, I just—" he stopped once again, tears brimming his eyes.

"You don't have to tell me, it's okay."

Hunk looked at him and nodded, silently agreeing to finish the tale.

"He and Shiro were flying reconnaissance. They were shot down on the North Korean border and had to eject. Keith was found, Shiro wasn't. The government won't even acknowledge that either of them were there."

For someone whose fortune was built on military might, Allura had a deep-seated hatred for war. Nothing good had ever come from one, and the idea that another one may start again soon left her frightened and enraged. Good men and women, once whole, coming home broken. Pieces of them left behind on the battlefield.

Keith rose and excused himself from the table, making his way to the restrooms in the back. When he didn't return after several minutes Allura decided to go look for him. She found him facing the wall next to the kitchen door, his forehead pressing against the cheap plywood which was buckling under the weight.

Unsure how to approach him since they technically didn't know each other that well, she simply stepped up behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders in a comforting manner. Her concern seemed well founded when she felt his body tense under her touch. He slowly turned to face her and she could see the tracks his tears had followed.

"I'm sorry I hurt you, Keith. I didn't—"

Her thought was cut off when he pulled her into an embrace, his face buried in her shoulder and his body shaking as he cried.

They stayed that way for several more minutes. Allura hoped the others didn't get the wrong impression, but it couldn't be helped. She'd let him cry for as long as he needed to.

Once he regained his composure they rejoined their friends. Lance was making inroads with Pidge it seemed, while Hunk was busy checking Twitter on his phone.

"Hey, anyone want to hit the pubs? I'll buy the first round," Lance offered cheerfully. It was obvious he wanted to spend more time with Pidge.

"Nope, no, we need to get back to the hotel. Keith doesn't need to get drunk and start punching people again. The papers would have a field day with that," Hunk reminded him.

"That was one time, and the guy totally had it coming," Keith snapped, "but I'm not in the mood to go anywhere so let's head back, okay?"

"Cool, I can show Katie the awesome suite we got," piped Lance.

"Who is Katie?"

Lance looked at Allura like she had two heads. "You don't even know your best friend's real name?"

Allura looked to Pidge, no _Katie_ , with confusion. The smaller girl just shrugged her shoulders like it didn't matter to her either way.

The hotel was a short walk from the Park Street station so the girls agreed to check it out. Stepping into the lobby they realized it was easier said than done. A large crowd of fans blocked the path to the elevators.

"Shit, they figured out where you're staying," Hunk complained, "How are we gonna get past them?"

One of the gaggle of fangirls turned towards the entrance and in a panic Allura shoved Keith into a nearby alcove.

"Uh, guys, she's coming this way," Lance whispered loudly, "make sure she doesn't see you."

Keith grabbed Allura's arms and pulled her closer, "Any chance you ever fake kissed someone?"

Allura could only give him a blank stare before realizing what he meant.

"Technically I've never kissed anyone at all, so, um, what do I do?"

"Follow my lead," Keith responded, tilting his head slightly and bringing his nose into touching distance with hers.

Allura was afraid to move a muscle. She squeezed her eyes shut but couldn't resist the urge to peek at his face. His lips were dangerously close to her own.

Finally, it was too much for her to bear and she decided to go for it, closing the gap until her mouth found his. She could always say she slipped.

It lasted for half a second before Hunk was dragging them out and towards the exit.

"Make a run for it you two, we'll hold them off," he barked as a stampede of girls rushed them.

Keith grabbed Allura by the hand, bursting through the glass doors and running for the entrance to the subway. He didn't stop until they'd gotten past the turnstiles. They turned to see if they were still being followed. Quickly they found a bench hidden by a large pillar, resting while they caught their breath.

"So, um, you kissed me," Keith murmured.

Allura was embarrassed but tried to play it off. "Sorry, it was an accident."

He threw her a disbelieving look, his soft lips quirking up on one side.

"You don't know what a fake kiss is?"

"I don't know why we needed to fake kiss to begin with," she huffed, "my hair probably hid you anyway."

"It was a good plan if you asked me," he teased, "worked in my favor at least."

For that he earned a playful punch to his upper arm, which of course he played wounded for sympathy.

A minute later the thunderous sounds of his rabid fanbase approaching reminded them they were on the lam. Allura grabbed Keith's hand and started to drag him towards the tunnel, slithering through the masses like a conjoined snake.

"Any clue on where we should go?"

"No idea, any suggestions that will get me away from them are fine with me," Keith panted.

"Then we'll go to my place," Allura offered, pulling him towards the B Line platform.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Fair warning that there may be more accidental kissing involved."

"But not from anyone besides you, right?"

She winked teasingly at him. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."


	3. Chapter 3

**Day 23:**

Allura blinked awake to a bright summer morning. Her room was warmer than usual despite having the thermostat set to keep it on the cool side. She finally managed to focus on her alarm clock.

Nine o'clock! She was going to be extremely late for work!

As she frantically threw back the covers to get up, a heavy weight around her waist stopped her. Confused, she tried once again. Finally, her brain caught up with her, remembering what happened the day before.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry, Princess?"

She glanced back over her shoulder to see Keith, at least half naked, smiling sleepily at her. Then she looked down, realizing that she was _completely_ naked. Embarrassed, Allura quickly flopped back down on her pillow and pulled the blanket over her head.

"Do you want me to leave so you can get dressed? You told them you'd be in after lunch," Keith reminded her.

Sticking one hand out from under the bedcovering she gave him a quick thumbs-up. She could hear him chuckle at her antics and felt the bed shift as he got up. Once he'd collected his clothes she heard the door shut, her cue to get up and jump in the shower.

By the time she'd made it to the kitchen, breakfast was already on the table and coffee was brewing in the pot, Keith poking around in the fridge for something. As she poured herself a cup she looked around the sink for any errant dishes. There was no sign of her roommate so Allura wondered if she'd stayed the night at the hotel. Knowing Pidge, she imagined her friend was fully dressed and Lance was sleeping on the floor. There was no way he'd won her over in a single day.

"So, um, about last night," she started, not sure where she was going with the sentence, "that was not something I usually do, you know."

"Me either," Keith responded brusquely. "I'm sure you imagine that a guy in my position has a reputation for one-night-stands."

Allura felt a bolt of anger at the presumption. "No, I mean that you're, well, my first. Like I said, the tabloids back home liked to link me to all the playboys. I just thought it was special, that's all."

She sat in her chair with a huff, trying not to let him see how much he'd hurt her feelings.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I forgot you're kinda in the same boat as me," he said as he moved to her side. "How about we try this again?"

He reached for her hand, bowing to place a chaste kiss on her delicate fingers.

"Good morning, Princess. I hope you slept well."

Her hunger was temporarily sated by the sudden presence of swarms of butterflies. How could she stay mad at him after that?

"Like a dream. And you?"

"Better than I've ever slept in my life," he beamed.

Allura giggled at the scene they were playing, pulling him even further down to plant a kiss on his lips. She remembered how they felt the night before. Last night he tasted of sweat and red wine, this morning of sleep and hot coffee.

Soon they were both full and heading out for the day. Keith offered to escort her as far as the Red Line, during which time they made plans for the weekend. Chances were good that he'd be touring again soon so they wanted to have as much time together as possible.

As they parted ways and Allura headed toward her destination, her mind was atwitter with everything that had happened yesterday.

"I'm not going to get any work done today," she sighed.

In the background, the other commuters were discussing the news, some worried about the news from North Korea. But Allura was in too good of a mood to confront such a possibility. For her only good things could happen from here on out.

 **Day 105:**

Christmas Eve came too quickly, fall having been little more than a blur. Allura admitted she loved the holiday even though it wasn't celebrated in her family. This year she decided to put up a small plastic tree in her room, since Pidge had an issue with her sacrificing a real tree to the mythological god Saturn.

Keith was going to spend the day there with her since he didn't have a permanent residence, often crashing at Hunk or Lance's apartments when he wasn't being put up at a hotel for a singing gig. He of course had the money but didn't like the idea of being tied down to one place for too long.

On the rare weekends he didn't have to work, like this one, he stayed at Allura's place. Not having to get up early meant sleeping in and morning cuddles, her favorite now that the weather was colder.

The previous day they'd gone shopping for last-minute gifts and groceries. Keith swore that he could cook a feast for the five of them, so they'd invited Lance and Hunk to join them for dinner.

Allura was too excited to wait to Christmas day to give him his gift. He was confused as to why he had to bundle up first, until she dragged him out into the cold and across the street to the nearby parking garage.

They took the stairs down to the lower level to spot B20.

His eyes went wide when he saw the candy apple red motorcycle parked there, a giant green bow adorning the handlebars. Keith grabbed her face to plant an enthusiastic kiss on her forehead, thanking her profusely for her generosity.

It was something she knew he could buy for himself but never would, and she loved that he loved it.

"Let's take it for a spin around town!"

"But what about dinner?"

"Turkey is in the oven, Pidge and Lance are in the apartment to put out any potential fires, and the city is practically empty. Please, just for a bit," he begged.

Allura finally relented, grabbing the spare helmet she'd picked out for herself. It was pink, her favorite color.

They drove around for nearly an hour, briefly getting on the interstate to see how fast the bike could go. She found she was equal parts excited and scared, holding Keith tightly as he sped down the highway.

After they got back she raced to the radiator, holding her numb fingers in front to shake the cold off.

"Now I know why I never see those things after Thanksgiving," she admitted, "what was I thinking?"

Keith laughed as he walked over with a blanket, wrapping around them as they moved to the bedroom. He reached over to pull something from his overnight bag, a small present wrapped in shiny paper.

"It's not as nice as what you got me, but I hope you like it."

Allura unwrapped the present to find a beautiful set of earrings with a matching necklace. Each piece was made with gold and had a drop made of rose quartz stone.

"Rose gold." She ran her fingers over the gems, tying their significance to his latest hit single.

The song he'd dedicated to her.

"Something for you to remember me by when I'm on the road," he responded somewhat mournfully.

He would be back to his world tour soon, meaning they would again go long stretches of time not seeing each other. She hated it but didn't want him to know. It was important that she support him, to be there for him when he came home.

"They're beautiful," she said, trying her best to maintain a smile. "They're absolutely perfect."

This time she was pulling him in for a kiss, knotting her fingers in his hair as she tenderly met his lips. Keith's arms quickly snaked around her, pulling her in closer to deepen it. They only broke apart when the smoke alarm went off.

"Hey guys," yelled Hunk, "I think the turkey is done."

Keith ran to the kitchen, which was starting to smell like scorched bird.

"Who turned up the oven?"

"Oh, that would be me," Lance admitted sheepishly. "I was hungry, it was taking too long, and it smelled so good!"

The five of them stood looking at what should have been their dinner, then back to Keith.

"I'll grab the takeout menus," he huffed.

 **Day 186:**

Allura came home from work to find Keith sitting at the kitchen table, his face worried. A letter in his hand had his attention to the point he didn't even notice her walking in the door. She couldn't help but notice the paper was shaking.

"Keith, what's that?"

"A big mistake," he growled. "My appeal to overturn my discharge was granted, and now they want me to finish the remainder of my service as a pilot."

"But, what if we go to war?" Allura could feel her legs starting to give out. She leaned heavily on the table, sliding slowly into the chair next to his.

"My guess is that's why it went through. I was one of their top pilots, they need me."

As much as she wanted to run from the apartment screaming, she realized that Keith needed her now more than ever. He had no family that he could contact, and Shiro was still MIA. She was the closest thing he had, but with no legal standing of any kind.

Allura placed her hand on his shoulder, rubbing the muscle through his shirt. She could feel the tightness and tried to soothe it away.

"When do you have to go?"

"I have 60 days to report."

"How long do you have to serve?"

"One year to earn an honorable discharge."

"But what about your tour?"

Keith sighed, running his fingers through his long hair. "I'll have to talk to the producers, but there's not much that they can do."

The two sat in silence, the only sound in the room was the low whirring of the space heater.

Allura looked around the apartment, deciding that once her lease was up she'd find a place just for the two of them. Pidge stayed with Lance most of the time now, and Keith was with her most nights.

It was an odd thing to think about, really; her mind needed something to fixate on that didn't involve the possibility of losing the only man she ever loved.

 **Day 203:**

A late snow fell on Sunday and her workplace was closed for the weekend, so Allura decided to spend the day looking for a new place to rent. Her lease would be up in July but she wanted to have lots of time to move. For once her family's money came in handy as she had a much wider range of options to choose from.

"See anything you like?" Keith's voice startled her as she thought he was still asleep.

"Lots of nice places, I'm thinking maybe Cambridge would be a good spot, and a shorter commute."

Keith smiled and pointed to the map towards a town a bit further north. "That's where I lived with my dad, before he decided to put me in the system."

Allura shot him a curious glance. "So I should avoid looking there?"

"No, it's a nice area," he countered. "We could probably even have a small yard. I'd feel better if you had a dog to protect you."

"Or a big cat," she teased. He knew she wasn't a big fan of pets in general.

"How about an attack mouse? It's so small they'll never see it coming."

The very idea sent her into laughing fits but she had to admit it would be nice to have a living thing to keep her company. That was something to consider another day, for now she diverted her search to the town he mentioned. Keeping her area of interest as close to the commuter rail as possible, she found several places that looked like they'd fit the bill.

"So much for the shorter commute," she groaned to herself after Keith walked away. "But at least it will be home."


	4. Chapter 4

**Day 204:**

There was over a foot of snow on the ground and the subway was closed for the day. Not having to work on a Monday was fine with Allura, plus she got another day to spend with Keith. She woke up to the sound of music coming from the living room, so she threw on a robe and shuffled to the doorway to catch a peek.

Keith was sitting on the sofa, his laptop on the coffee table in front of him recording a video of the proceedings. Allura waited until he finished before stepping in to the room to kiss him good morning.

"What's this?"

Keith startled a bit, slamming the screen closed.

"Um, you saw that?"

"Yes, I heard it too," she teased, plopping down next to him to bump his shoulder with her own. "It's very pretty."

He sighed, resigned to his fate now. "It was supposed to be a surprise. I didn't think you'd be up this early."

"It couldn't be helped, the bed was cold," she countered, punctuating the last word with a shiver. "Plus it's hard to sleep now when you're gone, I've gotten spoiled."

She waited for a playful response that would have been typical for him. Instead she only got a half-hearted grin. It broke her heart to see him like this.

"Marry me," she blurted out, cringing when she realized how unromantic it sounded.

Keith's eyebrow cocked, as if he was contemplating the offer. "Okay."

"Wait, do you mean it? I know it was rather sudden, but I really want to if you do too."

His face relaxed, his lips this time forming a genuine smile. "You know, I had been tempted to ask you yesterday, but then I realized what day it was."

Now it was her turn to be confused. "What day was it?"

"April Fool's."

 **Day 237:**

Ten days before Keith had to report to base and the couple was standing on the bridge in the Boston Public Gardens. The city had permitted them to close off the area to hold their wedding. Close friends and family surrounded them. Allura's parents had even made the long journey to be there for their only child.

Lance was best man, Pidge her maid of honor. Hunk was the officiant, which he was extremely proud of even though it was only good for the day.

In the distance fans circled the area as best they could, trying to catch a glimpse of the ceremony. Allura was sure pictures were already being posted to the internet, with comments about how sexy Keith was in his black pants/black button-down/red necktie ensemble. And of course many more knocking her own choice of a red strapless number for her dress. She didn't care though, seeing that it was his favorite color.

This was the one time they opted to take a limo to their next stop, which was a private reception at the top of the Prudential tower.

Allura was staring out of the large windows at the city below when Keith found her.

"I lived in the city without you before, but I'm not sure if I can do it again," she confessed.

His arms wrapped tight around her waist, pulling her into his chest.

"I'll be back, I promise," he breathed into her ear. "Don't ever doubt it."

 **Day 247:**

Keith kissed her goodbye before leaving the house. He had arranged to have Hunk drop him off at the base so Allura could go to work as usual. He'd tried to convince her that keeping her schedule would help with the initial separation. She wasn't sold on the idea, but agreed to it anyway. It was likely just as much for himself, anyway.

Standing at the Park Street station she couldn't help but replay in her mind the first time they'd met. She had almost declined his help. Funny how fate works like that, one wrong choice could have changed her life so dramatically.

On the train she pulled out her phone, tapping on the screen to bring up a video. It was the recording he had made for her the month before, now privately posted to YouTube for her to watch at any time.

"I miss you," she sniffled, "please be safe."

 **Day 294:**

Everything was finally moved into the new place. They'd purchased a home with a yard, just like Keith wanted. She still hadn't decided on a pet, but she did have a security system installed at his insistence.

Pidge came over to help her get situated, dragging Lance with her to do the heavier lifting. He and Hunk were probably going to enlist seeing as all peace talks were breaking down and world leaders were calling for action. Pidge herself had signed on at MIT to help develop stealth technology for the military; wanting to help the cause in any way possible was her reasoning. Allura could see her friend had the same look in her eyes she herself had when Keith was called up. It was a look of fear and uncertainty.

Allura had concerns of her own. She was late, by over a month. Probably over two. There was so much going on she hadn't bothered to count. She eyed the plastic shopping bag that had been plopped in the bathroom, making a promise to herself to use what was inside. Tomorrow, not today.

Today she'd worry about other things.

 **Day 295:**

She checked the instructions again, then checked the test kit. There was a reason she'd bought two of them, just in case this one was wrong.

It wasn't wrong. She was pregnant.

Keith called her that night but she didn't tell him. She'd tell him after seeing a doctor, to be sure. No reason to worry him over nothing.

"Hey babe, I can't talk long, just wanted to hear your voice," Keith's voice, hollow and distant, confided.

"I'm glad to hear yours too, my love. I wish you could call more often."

 **Day 359:**

Allura checked her clothes in the mirror. She wasn't showing yet but was trying to figure out how she would hide it as she got bigger. Being half of a tabloid-fodder couple meant the possibility of being photographed at any moment. Granted it had been a while, likely due to everything else going on in the world, but the idea of Keith learning that he was going to be a father from anyone but her was upsetting.

She hadn't talked to him since she got confirmation and was worried that he hadn't reached out to her.

He'd been cryptic on that call, not telling her where he was stationed or where he might be going. The fact that he flew some of the more "complicated" aircraft likely meant that he went on a lot of secret missions. That meant not hearing from him for a very long time.

Desperate, she made her plea to the universe.

"Please, just bring him home safely."

 **Day 375:**

The doctor's office was bustling with women and children. There were also the occasional couples, dad there to support the mother of his unborn child. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy that Keith wasn't there to share this with her.

Today she'd be learning the sex of the child. Maybe today she'd call her parents, too. As much as she hated anyone knowing before her husband, they would be hurt if she didn't tell them either.

 _It's a girl_.

Allura smiled at the thought of that. He'll spoil her rotten, no doubt. Now she just needs to think of a name he'd like, too.

 **Day 422:**

Her mother calls to see how she's feeling. She's feeling fat, that's how. But her appetite is better at least. The nursery was coming along nicely. Pidge had gone with her to buy most of the furniture and bedding, and it was being delivered the next week.

The theme? Cats. Rainbow colored cats. Red, blue, green, yellow, and purple. Keith loves bright colors as much as her, and he once mentioned having a pet cat as a kid, so naturally she fell in love the moment she saw it.

Finally she bid her mother goodnight as it was getting late over there. "Over there" used to be "back home" to her. But home is here now.

 **Day 435:**

Waiting for the train grew more tiresome, her feet swelling the longer she had to stand. The weather was cooler but she was sweating, wanting to peel out of her overcoat and sit in front of the air conditioner.

The sounds of Christmas music started to dance its way through the bustle of people, a bit early for the season but not surprising.

Allura looked over to see an older gentleman playing the guitar while singing a somber carol. His voice carried the burden of his years, eroded by time but with a serene beauty to it. She was drawn to him, standing through two additional songs.

It was like looking at her husband decades in the future, the man's stringy dark hair peppered with grey and crooked lines on his face that aged him beyond his years. His head hung low, only raising to thank passersby who dropped spare change in his jar.

Once his third song ended, Allura dropped $20 in the jar and walked away. She thought about the man for the rest of the day.

 **Day 471:**

Christmas Day, she picked her parents up from the airport. Their flight was delayed due to weather conditions so they arrived later than planned. After greetings and hugs- and maybe a little bit of crying- they were on their way home.

Allura was thankful she'd taken the plunge and purchased a car. Taking the subway was difficult and Uber was ridiculously expensive. And she could fit the bulky stroller in the trunk, so that was a big selling point. She imagined Keith would laugh when he saw the electric blue color, saying she bought it to either compete with or complement his flashy red bike.

After a quick dinner they exchanged gifts. Most of hers were baby related, but her favorite was the large black cat.

"I don't care what anyone says, they're good luck," her mother insisted.

Allura smiled as she ran her fingers over the soft fur. "I think you're right."

 **Day 477:**

After dropping her parents off at the airport, she and Pidge decided to find a spot to watch the New Year's Eve fireworks. It was warmer than usual for this time of year so the women decided to walk to the harbor for a better view.

They found a spot away from the bulk of the revelers, sharing their space mostly with families who brought small children. As the noises from the explosions got louder and more frequent, Allura could feel the baby's movements grow agitated.

"Ouch!" Her hand moved to the spot where the offending kick landed. Her ribs were going to be hurting tonight.

Pidge looked at her, concern written on her face. "You okay?"

Allura nodded. "I think my little karate kid is not a fan of loud noises."

"Well, give me fair warning if I need to get you to a hospital, k?" Pidge adjusted her glasses, then paused as another thought occurred to her. "Have you picked a name out yet?"

Allura paused thoughtfully before answering. "I like Rose. I think Keith will too."

 **Day 493:**

Coran showed up on her doorstep. Her father had attempted to get her to move back to London, at least for the time being. Since no one had heard anything from Keith for so long, her parents felt maybe something had happened to him like it had Shiro.

When Allura refused to budge they decided to send her father's most trusted assistant. The man had practically helped raise her so she was at least comfortable having him in the house. She'd stepped down from her job at the consulate when her belly had gotten too big to hide, so she was missing being around other people anyway.

What she could have done without was his cooking. He read up on websites geared towards expectant mothers and tried his hand at many of the so-called "healthy" dishes they touted. Her only way out of them was to tell Coran that because the baby was so big her stomach didn't have room for so much food.

Luckily, despite his knack for cleaning the house top to bottom, he never discovered her stash of junk food hidden in shoeboxes in her closet. It was a trick she learned back when Pidge used to eat all the peanut butter cookies, and she repeated when Keith kept polishing off her emergency chocolate supplies.

"Don't worry, Rose. Mommy's going to make sure neither of us go hungry!"

 **Day 509:**

Rose didn't have much time to enjoy cheez curls and chocolate chip cookies. When Allura woke up that morning to intense contractions and soaked bedsheets Coran had her at the hospital in record time. Not that he'd memorized the route by driving repeatedly or anything. Soon she was in the delivery room, hooked up to several machines that measured everything _but_ the amount of pain she was in.

Labor felt like she was being torn in half, but the second she heard the cries of her baby daughter all was forgotten. Nurses scurried around, poking and prodding the newborn before returning her to mom's arms.

Allura was simultaneously exhausted and elated. She mourned the fact that Keith wasn't there to experience it with her, but she celebrated what the two of them now shared.

"She has your blue eyes," the nurse said as she helped prop the baby up to feed.

"But she has her father's dark hair."

 **Day 551:**

Sleep schedules were finally being established. Allura had been getting by on too few hours which meant she was letting Coran take care of Rose more and more often. It made her feel horrible to be so willing to hand her child over to someone who is not even related, yet she was afraid of harming her if she didn't. Once she'd almost dropped the squirming infant as she was trying to prepare a bottle for her; she went to her room and cried for an hour.

"Keith, please come home soon. I don't think I can do this." She glanced at the calendar. "Just two more months, right?"

 **Day 602:**

"It's mommy and daddy's anniversary," she cooed to her baby girl. She played the video he'd made for her while dancing around the room with Rose in her arms. It was a small bonding moment but an important one, she imagined. Years from now she'd replay this scenario in her head as one of her favorite memories.

She wondered where he was. She wondered how he was. The threat of war had passed and yet no word from him. Hopefully she'd hear something soon.

Hopefully he was celebrating today in some fashion wherever he was. Maybe he was singing to her, willing his voice to reach her halfway around the world.

Her attention was drawn to the dining room. Several congratulatory cards sat in a stack on the table. She'd wait for Keith to get home to open them.

 **Day 620:**

Soon she'd be going back to work. Luckily the consulate offered on-site daycare. It wasn't the best option but there were bills to pay and Coran needed to return to London. She rummaged through her closet, trying on all her clothes before finding a few outfits she could still wear.

"That's what I get for refusing to follow Coran's diet," she admitted to herself.

The checklist of required childcare items was ticked. Seeing the stack of diapers for the eight hours alone was shocking. She didn't notice how many Rose went through when it was one at a time. Extra clothes in case the poop leaks out, extra pacifiers and clips because she somehow manages to lose them.

She sat herself in the rocking chair to lull Rose to sleep. It was getting late and Allura needed to get herself back into a schedule. Soon the baby was sleeping soundly but mom was wide awake. Exhaustion and stress overtook her as tears began to gather in the corners of her eyes. Crying now wouldn't help.

Placing Rose in the bassinet, she went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Instead she turned on the shower, peeled out of her sweats and stepped in cautiously before she crumpled to the floor of the bathtub, the stream of water mixing with her tears.

 **Day 660:**

The previous night Pidge sent a text asking Allura to bring Rose to visit her at the university, even going so far as to offer to pack a lunch for the two of them. At noon Allura picked her daughter up from the daycare and headed for the school. For once she was glad she got the bigger stroller, giving her plenty of room to stash bottles of formula along with half-a-dozen toys to keep the infant entertained.

She found her friend sitting in the courtyard where Keith had played the concert so long ago. Two years ago this September if she remembered correctly.

Pidge had claimed a bench under the shade of a large tree, waving when she saw her friend approaching. Allura smiled and waved back, picking up her pace as she approached. Nearby a group of students was studying in the grass, and people buzzed around going to and from their mid-summer classes.

Allura gave her old roommate a big hug before sitting down, happy to have some company for lunch. She gave Pidge an odd look when she realized her friend hadn't brought any food.

"Sorry, I was running late this morning. Don't worry, the food is on its way," she grinned mischievously, looking into the carriage to engage Rose in a game of peekaboo.

Almost immediately, Allura spotted Lance and Hunk headed in their direction, holding a large bag from the local deli.

"Anyone place an order for a hot Cuban?"

Hunk elbowed him jokingly. "Dude, Katie's been dating you over a year now, don't screw it up this late in the game."

The girls chuckled at the boys' antics, scooting to one end of the bench to allow room for them to sit on the other.

Pidge started to unpack the bag as Hunk fished out drinks for each of them. Lance leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees as he petitioned the others for music requests. The others simply shrugged a "whatever" so he turned his attention to Allura.

"I guess I don't have a preference, just nothing loud please," she replied, motioning to the yawning infant.

He gave her a thumbs-up which was followed immediately by a soft chord that sounded too clear to be coming from his phone.

Noticing a shift in the others' gazes, Allura turned her head to see a man in a red jacket and baseball cap pulled low over his eyes playing a guitar.

Suddenly the rest of the world faded from existence, every fiber of her being focused solely on him. She felt paralyzed, her breathing labored. Even her voice had abandoned her, unable to form words she so desperately wanted to say.

Keith set the guitar down, continuing to sing as he approached her. He reached down gently for her hands, slowly pulling her to a stand and into his arms. His voice softened as he serenaded her, occasionally breaking under the weight of his long absence. His hands revisited her back, her arms, her hair, as if they were moved by memory alone.

He was home. He was finally home.

Finally the long-held emotions she'd been fighting back for so long came rushing out. Her sobs shook them both as he planted kisses across her face and soon they had melted together into the ground beneath them.

She always thought she'd remembered how his arms felt, but either her memory was wrong or his arms were. Maybe they were just stronger, she couldn't be sure. Hopefully that wasn't one piece of him that got left behind, the one that remembered how to hold her.

Once they'd gathered themselves she took his face in her hands, wiping the streaks of tears away.

"Would you like to meet your daughter?"

His face lit up at the word and he eagerly nodded.

Allura stood to scoop the sleeping baby from her carriage, handing her gently over to the trembling arms of her father. The infant stretched with a yawn, turning towards the warmth of his chest. She drew in a deep breath, taking in the unfamiliar scent of her father.

"She- she's beautiful," he whispered, "just like her mother."

"Yes, but she has her father's temper," Allura teased. "Just wait, you'll see."

"You have no idea how much I'm looking forward to it."


End file.
